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Setting up an effective workspace requires a lesson in priority levels
Efficient workspace set-up on a network server really begins with an understanding of the MicroStation start-up process. MicroStation has five different priority levels (directories) in which the configuration files are stored. A configuration file is an ASCII text file that can contain configuration variables and their paths or file names, logical operators (i.e., %ifdef, %ifndef, and %endif) and notes about that particular configuration file to help clarify your reasoning for future system administrators.
These five priority levels include:
configuration variables essential to operate properly. The _USTN_SYSTEM
variable defines the directory where all the system level configuration files are
located. All of the files in the system directory ending with the CFG extension
will be read by MicroStation.
files for other software applications that run on top of MicroStation are
stored. The _USTN_APPL variable points to the directory location of the application
configuration files. These files also end with a CFG extension and are read
by MicroStation at startup.
At the operating system command line, key in
ustation -wa<<MDL application>>
This will initiate <<MDL application>>
administrators are normally asked to modify the contents of this file and rename
it site.cfg when they are using license pooling. This is the best level for establishing
the site and corporate standards that are essential for all CAD operators to
work efficiently. The site level is a lot like the system level-the system administrator
should define only the configuration variables necessary to run
MicroStation effectively at his/her site. The _USTN_SITE variable (found in
msconfig.cfg) tells MicroStation in which directory to look for the site level
configuration files. Again, MicroStation reads all of the files with the CFG extension
in the directory.
database's configuration variables that are essential for the database to operate
correctly. The _USTN_DATABASE variable points to the directory where the
database configuration files are located. This directory also contains CFG files, but unlike the previous levels, MicroStation only reads the file you designate. To do this, just key in ustation -wd<<database name>> at the operating system command line when you start MicroStation.
Now that you have a better understanding of MicroStation's startup process, let's create a workspace so that all individual user configuration files, user interface (palette, menu and dialog modification) files and user preferences are located on the
server. This will enable users to control their own environments, no matter which computer is used. First, the system administrator sets a variable on the network so
that when a user logs in, the variable USERID = <<the user's name>> (i.e., USERID = MATTS) is defined. Next, define _USTN_SITE=<<directory on the server>> in the system startup file, to point to where the site configuration files are stored. For example, add this line to the autoexec.bat: SET _USTN_SITE=o:\config\site\ This is ideal if you always run MicroStation with the network connected. Or you can create a text file, naming it whatever you want, as long as it has a CFG extension. This file will contain only one variable (_USTN_SITE) and we will place it in the
/ustation/config/system directory. The file should look like this:
This tells MicroStation to look at the o:/config/site directory for all of the site configuration files if the USERID variable is defined. It then locks the variable so MicroStation can't redefine it. Otherwise, it's assumed that the network is not loaded and MicroStation will run entirely local. This will be the only file that we add to the local hard drive. Go to the directory defined by _USTN_SITE variable and create
another text file-the name is irrelevant, as long as the file has the CFG extension. This file will define all the variables to point MicroStation out to the other server directories. It should look like this:
#---------------------
# Corpsite.cfg
The _USTN_USERINT variable defines the path to the location of all the subdirectories where the user interface modification files are stored. The _USTN_USERINTNAME variable is the name of the user interface that MicroStation is to load, as well as the subdirectory name where the USTN.M** file is located. The system administrator should set a up directory structure similar to this
The USERID variable will be defined at startup as one of the user's names. Users should only have full rights to their own subdirectory-that way, they can change their environments without other users disturbing them. The system administrator
only needs to put three files in the USERID directory:
Now that we have setup MicroStation to run its configuration
files, user interfaces and user preferences off of the server, all
that's left for you to do is fill in the blanks.